Page 10 of The Tantalizing of a Scandalous Rake

Alex rolled his eyes. “Teaching a young girl gambling, Adam? Is that wise?”

He shrugged then grimaced when agony darted through him. “Keep her out of trouble.”

“That is true,” Leo acknowledged. “God knows, the girl likes to get into trouble.”

Alex chuckled. “No more so than Lucy these days.”

“Which is why you do not need to be worrying about me.” Adam forced a smile.

It was about time he had another dose of laudanum by his reckoning. Or at least a tender touch from Rosie. That would likely soothe any pains.

“I will send Dr. Wells,” Alex said.

“I am more than fine.”

Leo glanced at the door. “The whole tripping and falling wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain Beauty of Buttermere would it?”

“I cannot help it if my nursemaid is exceedingly beautiful.” Adam affected a nonchalant expression. “Besides, unlike you two, I have no intention of falling for our mother’s manipulations.”

“You know, she still maintains she wanted us to stay away from all women,” Leo pointed out.

Adam huffed. “That mother of ours is a master manipulator.”

Leo smirked. “I’m not saying I believe her.”

“Are you certain you will be well here?” Alex asked, his brow creased. “We could move you I think.”

Adam shook his head. “I’ll be fine. I’ll send word for the carriage once I’m healed enough to return home.”

“That’s if you ever want to leave.” Leo jerked his head toward the door. “Having the Beauty of Buttermere looking after you can be no dreadful thing, and she seems quite the strong woman. Precisely your type.”

“As I have said many times since our arrival here, you will not see me falling for a woman. Not even one as beautiful as her. I intend to come away from the lakes entirely unattached.”

“Miss Kingsley will be giving birth soon. Hopefully this whole matter will be put to rest after that,” Leo muttered.

Adam nodded. Miss Kingsley had ended up in the family way and the culprit had still not come forward. Due to some similarity between the blackguard and the three of them, it had been put about that they were to blame for leaving her with child, hence their banishment to Cumbria.

“I am looking forward to returning to my bachelor ways whilst you two play the married country gents,” Adam said smugly.

Alex rolled his eyes. “A knife to the gut and you still haven’t changed.”

He grinned in response. “I never will.” Not even a beauty like Miss Seymour could alter that.

∞∞∞

The door creaked open and Rosie hastened to the end of the corridor that led past each of the guest rooms. She clutched the bundle of sheets and feigned a distracted look as the two men emerged from Adam’s room.

Not Adam, she corrected herself. Lord Adam with some long courtesy title that she did not know but most likely sounded exceedingly important.

If only she had known. Though, she was not certain what she would have done differently. The arrogance of the man was unmatched, even when in his sickbed. She would not bow and scrape simply because he was a noble by birth.

“Miss Seymour?” the marquis beckoned her over after shutting the door behind him.

Both men were similar in appearance to Adam, with chestnut hair and strong jaws, though the marquis’s curling locks were darker. She had never met the man herself but had heard tell of his recent marriage and his intention to settle in the area. She did, however, know that all three men had been known as The Lords of Scandal Row, thanks to their notorious reputations and huge, expensive townhouses located in the same area in London. The blasted book that granted her infamy also paid special attention to these men.

No wonder really. The men were attractive, broad-shouldered and had been bachelors at the time the book had been written. Many visitors to the area would have hoped for a glance of them, especially the female ones.

She would not let herself be daunted by them, however. They might be rich and powerful, but this was her inn and they were in her territory.

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